Hurricane Gina (Brick)
Hurricane Gina was a strong and destructive hurricane that impacted the Caribbean and the United States in July 2027. Gina was the 7th named storm, 3rd hurricane, and 1st major hurricane of the hyperactive 2027 Atlantic Hurricane Season. Gina formed from a tropical wave that moved off of Africa on June 30. The wave trekked across the open Atlantic before developing into a tropical storm east of the northern Lesser Antillies on July 3. Just a day later, on July 4th, Gina became a category 1 hurricane before landfalling in Antigua, causing moderate damage there. It moved into the Caribbean Sea, and began to steadily strengthen over the next 2 days, becoming a category 2 hurricane on July 6. Early on July 7, Gina reached its first peak of 110 mph before landfalling in the western Dominican Republic. As Gina moved through the island of Hispaniola, it weakened back to a category 1 hurricane, and moved off the island, where it then impacted Matthew Town, in the Bahamas, on the island of Grand Inagua. It then impacted Acklins Island on July 8. That same day, it reintensified into a category 2 hurricane, while still lashing the Bahamas. Just a few hours later, Gina rapidly intensified into a Category 3 major hurricane, the first of the year. It then made landfall on the Andros island in the Bahamas. Gina then went on to strengthen further into a Category 4 hurricane, as it continued to rapidly intensify. Gina moved into the Florida straight early on July 9, and made landfall near Key Largo at a peak intensity of 145 mph and 943 mbars, where it cause extreme damage. A 12-foot storm surge was reported in Key Largo and throughout the upper Keys. Gina then turned northwest and just a few hours later made landfall near Fort Myers, where more extensive damage occurred. Throughout late July 9 and early July 10, Gina moved through the Florida Peninsula, where it weakened to a tropical storm by the time it moved off the state near Cape Canaveral. Gina remained a marginal tropical storm before making a final landfall near the South/North Carolina border late on July 10. Gina quickly weakened to a tropical depression inland, and on July 11, Tropical Depression Gina was absorbed by a cold front in western Virginia. The moisture enhanced cold front caused major flooding in New England. Gina caused extensive damage throughout its path. Most deaths occurred in Haiti, with 152 occurring there. In the Dominican Republic, 10 people died, mainly due to a mudslide in a small town. In the Bahamas, 15 people, as a result of a 9.5 foot storm surge occurred in Andros. In the Lesser Antilles, only 4 deaths occurred. However, most damage came from the states, where over 2.7 billion dollars in damage occurred, mainly in Key Largo, which also had the 2nd highest death total, at 30, and in the mainland, Gina killed 14 people. Overall, Gina was responsible for 211 deaths, and 3.1 billion dollars in damage. The name Gina was retired in the spring of 2019 by the World Meteorlogical Organization deemed that further usage of the name Gina would be inapportiate and retired the name. It was replaced with Georgia for the 2033 Atlantic Hurricane Season Meterological History On June 30, a vigorous tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa. Aided by warm waters and low shear, the wave became well organized as it moved quickly to the west. On July 1, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) marked the system for a low chance of development. Over the next 24 hours, the wave became very organized and the chances were upped to high. As convection continued to increase around the center, an ASCAT pass discovered the storm had tropical storm force winds early on July 3, and later that day, a recon aircraft discovered a closed center in the system at around 11:00 PM AST, which officially made it a tropical storm, the seventh of the season. It received the name Gina. Over very warm waters of 84 degrees F, with little to no shear. The winds in Gina began to increase at a rapid pace, and early on July 4, Gina formed an eye feature, and it was upgraded to a category 1 hurricane, the third of the season. Just hours after this designation, the center of Gina passed directly over the island of Angullia at about 5:00 AM AST, with winds of 75 mph. After this landfall, the storm turned southwest and emerged into the northeastern Caribbean Sea. Over the warm waters of the sea, Gina steadily intensified, but wind shear prevented rapid intensification. On July 5, Gina began to shift to the west, and was nearing category 2 strength. On July 6, at about 2:00 AM AST, satellite estimates upgraded Gina to a category 2 hurricane. Gina began to move northwest, and the outer rainbands began to move onshore Haiti. At approximately 2:55 AST on July 7, Gina hit a peak of 110 mph, with 970 mbars, before making landfall near Oviedo, Dominican Republic. Due to the mountainous terrain of Hispaniola, Gina weakened quickly to a category 1 hurricane, and then the center crossed into Haiti. Late on July 7, Gina moved off of the northern tip of Haiti, before making landfall again near Matthew Town, in the Grand Inagua as minimal hurricane. On July 8, in the early morning hours, recon aircraft found that Gina was getting stronger. It also made another landfall on Acklins Island, with winds of 85 mph. Just an hour later, the center of Gina came ashore Long Island, as a strong category 1 hurricane, near Clarence town. After this landfall, Gina began to rapidly intensify, becoming a category 2 hurricane. Then recon found winds of 115 mph, and the NHC upgraded Gina to a category 3 major hurricane, the first of the season. Just hours later, late on July 8, at about 9 PM EDT, Gina turned west, and made landfall near Andres Town, in the Andros Island in the Bahamas. Early on July 9, Gina became a category 4 hurricane, the first of that strength in the Atlantic in the month of July since Hurricane Emily of 2005. At 6:00 AM EDT on July 9, Gina peaked with winds of 145 mph and a pressure of 943 mbars. Just an hour later, it made landfall in Key Largo, Florida Gina weakened slightly as it moved back into water and into the far eastern Gulf of Mexico. Gina turned sharply northwest. At about noon EDT, Gina made its second Florida landfall, near Marco, Florida with an intensity of 140 mph, and 950 mbars. Gina was undergoing an eyewall replacement cycle (ERC) at the time of landfall, so it began to rapidly weaken inland, becoming a category 3 just two hours after landfall, while located southeast of Fort Myers, Florida. Gina then turned northeast, and weakened further to a category 2 hurricane while located near Barlow, Florida. Gina neared the eastern coast of Florida, before weakening to a category 1 hurricane near Cape Canaveral early on July 10, and moved off Florida just a few hours later as a strong tropical storm. Strong wind shear in that region began to weaken Gina. Gina turned north as it neared the South Carolina coast, then northeast. Late on July 10, Gina made its final landfall near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with winds of 40 mph, and pressure of 1000 mbar. Gina quickly weakened to a tropical depression as it crossed into North Carolina on July 11. Gina moved north-north east, then moved into Virginia where a cold front absorbed it, and the NHC terminated advisories on Gina. Gina's moisture enhanced rainfall in the northeastern United States, causing flooding. Preparation and Impacts Lesser Antillies When Gina formed on July 3, Tropical Storm Warnings and Hurricane Watches were issued for the northern Lesser Antillies. With such short notice, preparations were very poor, with most windows being left unboarded. When Gina became a hurricane the next day, warnings were issued. When Gina hit, strong winds caused a roof to collapse in a house, killing one. Hispaniola Bahamas Florida North Carolina Retirement Category:Category 4 Atlantic hurricanes